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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27151822">I can't...</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurbBoi/pseuds/BurbBoi'>BurbBoi</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Les Dalton | The Daltons (Cartoon), Lucky Luke (Bande Dessinée)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Feelings Realization, Fluff, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Why Did I Write This?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 22:43:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>882</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27151822</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurbBoi/pseuds/BurbBoi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Daltons finally managed to catch Luke, but not everything went quite as they thought...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe Dalton/Lucky Luke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I can't...</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't even know...</p><p>Beta: Misstrite</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-Stop shootin'! </p><p>Joe Dalton, the greatest bandit of the West, yelled at his brothers. Now he noticed that Luke, hidden behind the nearby rock, wasn't showing any signs of life. Damned cowboy had been following them since they did their first bank robbery in the Cactus Fields city, after escaping from prison until he caught up with them in the canyon. The gunfight started, which surprisingly didn't end with their immediate loss again. This time no shot disarmed them straight away. Something was definitely wrong. </p><p>-What happened Joe? 

Wiliam and Jack ran up to their older brother. </p><p>-Why don't we shoot?. That's where Luke is hidin'! </p><p>Joe scratched himself with a warm gun barrel on his chin. One of them had to go and see what happened. </p><p>-Ah think we won this time Joe! </p><p>Averell showed his head from behind the tree that was his cover during the shooting. </p><p>-Shut up, you moron! This coyote just wants us to think he's gone! </p><p>Averell came out of his hiding place and headed for a suspected trap. Before one of his brothers could react, he bent down and took something off the ground then headed toward the other three. </p><p>-Sometimes I'm really amazed by his bravery caused by stupidity. </p><p>Wiliam said catching raging, red-faced Joe who was ready to strangle his youngest sibling. </p><p>-Easy Joe! </p><p>- Relax Joe! </p><p>-I'll calm down as soon as I make a pâté of this dumb-ass! Thanks to you, Luke would catch us again!  </p><p>-But Joe, how can Luke catch us if he's unconscious on the ground? </p><p>Averell showed them Luke six-shooter that he picked up from the ground.</p><p>-What?</p><p>The three Daltons looked in disbelief at the highest of the gang. </p><p>-What did you just say?  </p><p>Joe freed himself from the grip of Jack and William. </p><p>-Well, when we were shootin' at each other, one of our bullets ripped off a piece of rock that hit him in the head... </p><p>Before he could finish his sentence, two rough hands clenched around his neck. </p><p>-Why didn't you tell us that earlier! </p><p>Joe brutally shaken his brother despite his small size. Luckily, Jack pulled him down before he strangled his youngest brother. </p><p>-Easy, Joe, we finally got the coyote, so you can finally kill him. </p><p>-Yeah, Joe. You always wanted to do that. </p><p>-You're right. </p><p>Joe jumped to the ground, grabbed his gun and went to the rock behind which Luke was supposed to lay. When he came closer, he saw that the surface of the stone had indeed been badly damaged by their bullets and cracks had formed in several places. Slowly he moved his revolver in front of him and in one jump he found himself behind the rock. Lucky Luke was lying on the ground before him. From between his black hair a purple bruise was visible. He was defenseless, at his mercy. </p><p>-Finally! </p><p>Joe slowly directed the muzzle towards his stunned nemesis. He cocked the revolver with his thumb then put his other finger on the trigger. Holding his breath, he aimed carefully. At this moment the time stopped and everything around became quiet. He wanted to do it. He just had to. Joe Dalton was about to shoot the legend of the West. </p><p>-What are you doing there, Joe?  </p><p>William's voice pulled him out of the adrenaline trance. </p><p>-Everythin' okay?  </p><p>He heard quick steps behind him. </p><p>-You killed him, Joe?  </p><p>For the first time, Averell's stupid question didn't knock him out of balance. </p><p>-Change of plans. We'll tie him up and take him to our hiding place. </p><p>-But Joe...  </p><p>-No buts! Do as I say! </p><p>The eldest of the brothers went towards where they hid the horses, leaving the surprised brothers and unconscious Luke behind. He felt something woke up in his chest. A feeling he didn't know before. He had no idea what it was. The worst thing, however, was that he was unable to shoot Luke of it. He simply couldn't.</p><p>|Couple hours later|</p><p>When he finally woke up, the world swirled around as if he had just come down from a quick carousel. The eyes slowly got used to the surrounding darkness and showed the shape of the place where he was. In front of him stood a wooden table with four seats and a small vase from which the dust-dried plant was sticking out. Despite the fact that the naphtha lamp under the ceiling didn't illuminate this gloomy place he was able to see beds placed one above the other under the wall and right next to them several boxes including one locked. The pulsating pain and the analysis of the room he made reminded him of everything that happened until unconsciousness. Lucky Luke wanted to check how much damage the four Daltons did to his person this time, but he was stopped by a thick rough rope that was tightly tied around his wrists. His ankles were treated the same way. He noticed that there was no longer a hat on his head but instead a cloth that was to serve as a bandage. Could the Daltons have saved him? How did Joe Dalton his biggest opponent not take this impossible opportunity and shoot him? The character who violently opened the door was about to give him an answer...</p>
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